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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. rash — a series
  4. rest — what's left
  5. land — to come down
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. land — a country
  8. current — happening now
  9. current — of water
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. bore — to tire
  12. ball — a great time
  13. shower — to wash
  14. rash — hasty
  15. rest — a break
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. land — ground
  19. current — electric
  20. bore — to drill
  21. rest — what's left
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. ball — a dance
  24. shower — rain

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com